Vanderbilt Osher 2018 summer term features Fisk courses

A survey of world art featuring Fisk University collections and the history of Fisk University are among classes offered this summer by the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Vanderbilt. These two classes will be taught by Fisk faculty on the campus of the historically black institution.

“Diversity and inclusion continue to be among our most important priorities, as reflected in this summer’s curriculum,” said Norma Clippard, program director. “We are striving to expand into a variety of neighborhoods across Nashville, and the Fisk partnership is an important component of our programs.”

“I know that Fisk professors have enjoyed the strong engagement and enthusiasm of the Osher lifelong learners on our campus,” said Rodney Hanley, provost and vice president of academic affairs at Fisk. “We are delighted to continue this community partnership with Vanderbilt.”

Other Osher summer courses include Nashville’s rich and diverse musical history and Spanish gastronomic culture (includes tastings). There will also be a class at Casa Azafrán on the cultural representation of the lived experience of undocumented workers and children who consider the United States their home.

The following noncredit classes are open to all those 50 and older, with individual fees for each course:

• Osher Steel Drum Band-Advanced,” taught by Ali Puglisi, for seven Sundays, beginning June 17; A level up from the beginning Osher Steel Drum Band, the class emphasizes technique and the proper nuances behind playing the steel pan. Students will meet from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Blair School of Music.
• “Osher Steel Drum Band-Beginner,” taught by Mat Britain, for seven Sundays, beginning June 17; No musical experience is needed to join this hands-on class, which will meet from 1 to 2:30 p.m. at the Blair School of Music.
• “Buen Provecho! Spain’s Regional Gastronomic Landscapes,” taught by Cynthia Wasick, for six sessions, starting June 18; Students will learn about and sample fresh, seasonal and healthy dishes of the Iberian Peninsula. The class will meet from 10 a.m. to noon at the Vanderbilt Recreation and Wellness Center.

• “OLLI at the National Museum of African American Music,” a virtual pilgrimage through the ebb and flow of music from the past 400 years, on June 26; The one-time class offers a preview of the National Museum of African American Music—-slated to open in Nashville in 2019. Live music will be performed during the session, which will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the First Baptist Church-Capitol Hill.
• “Exploring the Nashville Soundscape,” an experiential approach to learning about Nashville’s musical genres, artists and songs, starting July 9; The class, taught by Robert Fry, will include a tour of the Ryman Auditorium. The class meets for three sessions, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., at the Blair School of Music.

  

• “Art and Context: Learning to Look, Part II, focusing on the visual and written history from Fisk’s art collections and current exhibition; The collections include more than 4,000 objects that span three centuries of art history. Jamaal Sheats, director and curator of the Fisk University Galleries, taught a popular Osher class last summer and will teach this one at the John Hope and Aurelia E. Franklin Library. “The Osher students are excited and engaged—a fun group to teach,” he said. The class will meet for six sessions, starting July 10, from 9:30 to 10:45 a.m.
• “A History of Fisk University,” exploring the institution’s role in the post-Civil War South through the civil rights movement until the present; Reavis Mitchell, professor of history and dean of the School of Humanities and Social and Behavioral Sciences at Fisk, will teach the course. The class will meet for six sessions, starting July 10, from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. at Park Johnson Hall, Room 201.
• “Nutrition and Cast-Iron Cook,” a nutrition seminar to teach the benefits of healthy cooking; Kathleen Wolff and Taylor Koval with the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine at Vanderbilt will lead the class, which includes a cast iron demonstration and sampling of cooking seasonal vegetables. The class meets July 11 from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. at the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine.
• “Writing Your Family History,” a workshop that will cover the tools of capturing family historical information; It will be led by Angela Sutton, postdoctoral student with the Vanderbilt Center for Digital Humanities. The class will meet for four sessions, beginning July 17, from 9 a.m. to noon at the Nashville Public Library (downtown).
• “Documenting the Undocumented,” focusing on the representation of undocumented immigrants from Mexico and the Northern Triangle (Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala) across several cultural texts; The course, led by Clint Hendrix, will meet for four sessions, starting July 25, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at Casa Azafrán.

For more information, contact Norma Clippard or call (615) 343-0700.